The sound of the bell brings us back to peace.

* The Bell Meditation

We find peace in our mind by using the sound of the bell to bring us back to ‘the safe island of mindfulness.’
It is a simple means of bringing the mind back to it’s natural state of equilibrium.

For me, it is like the Breathing Meditation by Gen Tharchin, with the meaning of his words implied by the bell.
Within these meditations there are deeper and deeper levels of meaning for us to explore; each more beautiful than the last.

Like this:

Dear ones, in these troubled times we need to be able to calm our minds.
We can do this by returning to the present moment.

This will enable us to let go of our constant worry, and and find peace in ourselves, which will naturally radiate out to others.
This makes us happier,
and enable us to be more focused in what we think and do.

c

a

l

m

✉

Breathing in, I calm body and mind.

Breathing out, I smile.

Dwelling in the present moment

I know this is the only moment.

☮

“Breathing in, I calm body and mind.”This line is like drinking a glass of ice water. You feel the cold, the freshness, permeate your body. When I breathe in and recite this line, I actually feel the breathing calming my body, calming my mind.

“Breathing out, I smile.”
You know the effect of a smile. A smile can relax hundreds of muscles in your face, and relax your nervous system. A smile makes you master of yourself. That is why the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are always smiling. When you smile, you realize the wonder of the smile.

“Dwelling in the present moment.”
While I sit here, I don’t think of somewhere else, of the future or the past. I sit here and I know where I am.

“I know this is the only moment.”
This is the only moment that is real. To be here and now, and enjoy the present moment is our most important task.

“Your home is in the here and the now.”

Tich Nhat Hanh

This holiday season, we have a chance to express our love and care for Mother Earth by the way we care for our self, our family and our environment. We can practice mindfulness to care for our inner environment, our feelings and our emotions so that we do not lose our self in worries about the future or regrets about the past, or lose our self with our feelings and thinking in the present moment. We practice in such a way that we are peaceful, free and happy right in the here and now.

Rahula, practice loving kindness to overcome anger. Loving kindness has the capacity to bring happiness to others without demanding anything in return.

Practice compassion to overcome cruelty. Compassion has the capacity to remove the suffering of others without expecting anything in return.

Practice sympathetic joy to overcome hatred. Sympathetic joy arises when one rejoices over the happiness of others and wishes others well-being and success.

Practice non-attachment to overcome prejudice. Non-attachment is the way of looking at all things openly and equally. This is because that is. Myself and others are not separate. Do not reject one thing only to chase after another.

I call these the four immeasurables. Practice them and you will become a refreshing source of vitality and happiness for others.”

We warmly invite everyone and anyone to come together once again in a precious opportunity to meditate or sit in silence. We shall be offering this 30 minutes of tranquility to our beautiful and often busy city of Bristol at 2.30pm on Saturday 28th July 2012 on College Green.

Previous feedback:

“Beautiful being part of Sit in Peace meditation today in Bristol. Wonderful energy and special time.”“Just back from this…totally blissful vibe, radiating peace put to Brizzle and beyond.”“Just back from the Flashmob meditation outside the cathedral in Bristol City. Such a beautful, rich and full experience of depth, quietude, gentleness and love. Seeing beautiful faces I ‘know’ and meeting some new friends too. Thank you to all x x x Sublime…”“I’ve just got home after participating in a flash mob meditation event! Silent and more static than the usual dancing and stuff of course – but fabulous. At College Green in Bristol, just sitting and meditating for 30 minutes, connecting up with some global spiritual leaders doing the same.”“Medmob 31 March 2012, College Green, Bristol. Stillness and contemplation in the heart of the city. Extraordinary”“Thanks, this felt very meaningful, may everyone experience lasting peace!”